Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Equity goes beyond equality as it recognizes that not all people start from the same place. Equity acknowledges that we currently live in a society where resources and opportunities are not equally distributed across social groups. Equity attempts to correct for this imbalance by providing fairness and justice for resources and opportunities, such as new employment opportunities, access to health care, access to information, and participation in committees, to name a few. An inclusive environment is a socially and psychologically safe space that allows people to fully be themselves without fear of backlash or exclusion, due to their differences. When in a truly inclusive space, a person builds a sense of belonging, where they feel unique, respected, and valued. The incorporation of EDI in long-term care research can create diversity in thought, generate innovative research solutions, foster an inclusive research environment, and improve the generalizability of research findings. EDI approaches to long-term care research can allow us to address structural and systemic inequities so that we can work toward social justice within long-term care systems.